Lessons in Love
by Sariii
Summary: Collection of themes. Robin andor Raven centric.
1. Beauty

Disclaimed 

**Author's Note:** A first try at a collection of themes…Half-inspired by _Wicked._ A note to _Wicked _readers—thank you for the 1000+ hits! But, alas, I have a case of writer's block. Maybe this will inspire?

Theme One: Beauty 

_(superlatives, comparisons)_

"You're the most wonderful person I've ever known," he says into your ear, and you can't help but flinch. Normally you would be able to ignore the feeling in the pit of your stomach, but something about the way he says it today is too hard to disregard. You pretend you haven't heard, as usual, and turn your head to look at the city from your chair at the table. He laughs softly, like always, and turns to make breakfast.

It's only the two of you now; whether he stayed with you or you stayed with him, you don't really know. Somewhen along the way, both of you spoke less and less but there was no awkwardness or tension at all. Somewhen along the way, you found that you couldn't tell him everything anymore, and you locked yourself in your room for the first time since the team and split. The role of confidant was transferred to Cyborg—and Beastboy—and frankly, that scared you more than anything…

You remember…when you came out, Robin was there, waiting, stumbling over a memorized apology of some sort. You couldn't tell him anything then, too—you almost broke down in fright. "It's not your fault," you repeated over and over, hugging him. You were scared; it must have shown on your face because he stopped apologizing, brushed a lock of hair to the side, and held you.

Somewhen soon after, he began lying down and placing his head in your lap. You tensed. He just snuggled deeper, and murmured, "Relax. You're becoming uncomfortable."

Exactly six months ago—you'd never forget—he began his ritual of murmuring into your ear.

And he was doing it again.

"Out of the stars in the sky, your eyes shine the most."

Well, that was a new one. Corny, too. But your stomach is doing flips and somersaults and you hold a hand to your belly button. Robin starts to eat then, and you slip the tip of your tongue into the tea. You hope he doesn't notice your hands shaking.

Hours pass, and you come back home after a quick patrol around, stopping to help out East. Today is quite successful, actually; of course, that means you've come back tired and dirty and sweaty.

You head for your room immediately but Robin stops you before you can enter.

"You're the most loveliest person there is."

You stiffen and forget how to breathe. But when you remember, you give him a you've-been-kicked-in-the-balls-way-too-many-times glare and feel ready to break down the door, nevermind the alarms and the fact that it was metal.

You take a step, and he grabs hold of your arm and pushes you against the wall that it hurts.

"Why do you look at me like that?" he demands harshly, and you have the audacity to ask what he means, though you have a very good idea.

"Like you can't believe I want to kiss you…over and over," he says, "and over…"

That was not the answer you were expecting. Truthfully, you didn't really expect anything, perhaps a "You've been ignoring me" at most.

"It's not true," you murmur, trying to will the fact into his eyes, but he stares back into the face of death; death is losing.

"Why not?" his face tightens into one of immense relief and immense concern.

"I'm not the most wonderful and not the most lovely."

"Yes you are."

"So you say."

"Isn't that the point?"

He still hadn't let go.

"It's not…logical." Surely Reason could debate better.

"Yes it is—I compliment, you accept, and then the logical order would be for you to kiss me."

It wasn't funny, and you told him so, but he was serious.

"Raven, if you don't, I think I might."

And you couldn't reply because something lurched forward inside you and exploded as he kissed the lower corner of your mouth and pushed against your lower lip.

You kissed him back (though you didn't know how) and he broke apart to whisper again in your ear, and this time you didn't bother to hold back your emotions.

"I love you, Robin."

**.:x:.**

**Author's Note: **You know, all I have to do is write a little more and this could be the ending for _Wicked_…suggestions on the ending of that fic welcome.


	2. Facets

**Diclaimer: **Disclaimed.

**Theme Two: Facets**

(unwanted)

When Raven visits, everyone gathers around her, except me. She brushes them off and glances at me for one second before she begins to meditate. That moment is imprinted within me forever.

Her gaze is almost like a lover's, and for that second, I am cleansed and pure.

Then the familiar, ugly reality seeps within me and I am consumed in fire. I take a step forward. It hurts.

Instantly, Raven is ready, whispering her sacred chant, attacking with everything she has. The others—even the pathetic _Timid_—are ready. I sneer in contempt and begin my attack.

The War has begun.

I should like to lose, but the thought fuels my power and determination to win. I cannot help it.

For I am _Rage_.

And this is truly Hell.

But you can call it _Nevermore_.

**_.:x:. _**

_"Azar?" the child asked in fright. _

_"It will not hurt, child," said the woman._

Raven thinks she understands, which is an idea so laughable and so tempting, my sanity is threatened. But she is not a vessel, as we are. Our energy combines in her body, our emotions pass through her soul. She, at least, feels something wonderous, some emotion so mixed in each of us that it is something all together different. Perhaps that is what you call _Love_. In time, perhaps a new entity will form, one whose function is merely to annoy the shit out of me. She and _Happy_,and even _Compassion_ (who is known never to take any side in any issue), will get along greatly, perhaps. I wouldn't know. I'm just _Rage _after all… 

I was not always this way. Once, we were all human. I was not doomed. No—I was prepared (or so I thought) for what lay ahead. But this prison, my current state—everything I abhor—was not the work of Trigon the Terrible.

Foolish mortal. How I hate you, Azar.

She thought that if I had no choice, if anger was merely a single entity than a complex part of my soul, I could control it. With one command, she divided us into powerful wielders of emotions, and in doing so, took away my humanity.

_"How do you feel?" Azar asked. _

_"Fine," was the monotonous reply. It took a moment for the speaker to register the change. _

_"Azar, what happened to me?" the girl asked in that void tone. It could have easily been fright, but then again, very few could tell just by looking at her. _

_"What happened to my voice?" _

_The only reply was in the form of a jeweled mirror, glinting in some ethereal light. _

The others have, very likely, chosen to forget. But it is not my nature to do the same. I scream and curse in the dark shadows of _Nevermore_, where even _Envy _dare not enter.

At Azar, who doomed me.

At Compassion, who tries too hard.

And most especially at Robin, who meddles too damn much.

It is here, in the darkness of Raven's pathetic mind, that I reign as demoness. Even then, there are times when the darkness overcomes what very little sanity I have left (also divided amongst ourselves) and Trigon—or simply Raven's fear of the creature—steps forward in my wake.

I loathe those moments far more than I loathe I my existence. In the end, I come to a very simple, albeit morbid, conclusion: there can only be one Hell and one ruler over it. Trigon may consider ruling over this miserable planet, but according to my theory, Hell on Earth is one Hell too many. Besides, as far as I can see, I have no plans to move.

I suppose, in my own way, I do rebel.

But they'll never know that.

And the _Rage _begins anew…

**_.:x:. _**

**Author's Note:** I think I did pretty well with this one. I wanted to have Raven wake at the end of her meditation and have a chat with you-know-who, but I'm afraid that one sentence will have to do for now. The idea of Nevermore being created by Azar and the monks of Azarath--not true. But it made sense to me.

I'm leaving for Korea on the 28th—and will probably die from the heat—and won't be writing for a month, at least.

So when I come back, I will either start one of the following stories:

**Night: **SlightAU. Just who is Red X? After a mysterious "Robin" rescues them from a mission gone awry, the Titans travel to Gotham to unearth the truth, and unknowingly, Raven's intertwined past. Features Tim Drake, Jason Todd, Bruce Wayne, "Nightwing". RobinRae.

**Moonlight: **Swan Princess retelling, AU.

**Hush, Little Birdie:** PostTT. After a rocky on-off relationship with Starfire, Richard Grayson needs a place to crash and burn. Specifically, Raven's.

**Flying in the Wind: **Mulan Fandom.

**Silver and Gold: **Pirates of the Caribbean Fandom.

Please vote!

Happy Summer!


End file.
